By Jacklyn Reilly, Guest Contributor Americans spend over 1,800 hours at work, the vast majority of which is spent indoors. So, providing clean indoor air is vital to employees. Employees improve their filtration system at home but what happens once they arrive at work? If steps haven’t been taken to improve air quality here, then […]
HVAC coil testing is important to determine the amount of obstruction or level of fouling before cleaning. Measurement and verification (M&V) shows what areas of the coil need the most attention. It establishes a baseline for the amount of airflow passing through the coil. Tests taken after cleaning are then compared to the baseline. A […]
Clean Air Month is celebrated each May. It originally began as Clean Air Week sponsored by the American Lung Association (ALA) in 1972. The original intention to bring awareness to the connection between clean air and respiratory health remains unchanged. In 1994 the campaign was expanded to a whole month! Why Air Quality is Important […]
HVAC deferred maintenance is a serious problem that often goes overlooked. Building owners or managers think they are saving money. But in reality, the hidden costs of HVAC deferred maintenance compound over time. The Domino Effect HVAC deferred maintenance impacts building operations and occupant safety. When one area of the HVAC gets compromised other areas […]
Each April the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) focuses on the importance of the educational indoor air quality(IAQ) with National Healthy Schools Day. National Healthy Schools Day was founded in 2002 by the Healthy Schools Network. Its main purpose is to raise awareness about the important roles IAQ and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) play in […]
The World Health Organization (WHO) establishes that health is one of the fundamental rights that every human being must have. They define it as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not only the absence of diseases. Despite this, it is increasingly common for the medical community to present data on the […]
HVAC system performance can affect many aspects of building operations. If just one part of the system is faulty then everything from building health to energy efficiency can be negatively impacted. Consider the importance of these two categories. Good building health ensures that occupants are comfortable and productive. Maintaining acceptable energy costs is critical to […]
Ready.gov in conjunction with FEMA recognizes National Preparedness Month (NPM) every September. 2018 will focus on planning with: Disaster Happens. Prepare Now. Learn How. Each week will concentrate on a different theme as it relates to overall Preparation. The 2018 Weekly Themes are as follows: Week 1: Sept 1-8, Make and Practice Your Plan Week […]
By Dr. Rajiv Sahay, CIAQP, FIAS, Director of Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and the health of the indoor environment has been a rising concern in recent years from the health, hygiene, and productivity viewpoints. Individuals are exposed to a number of allergens or contaminants on a continuous basis. These contaminates/allergens can cause […]
Indoor air quality investigations are often initiated by occupant complaints to the facility manager of a building. These grievances are generally manifest through sight, smell and actual physical conditions only present when the occupant is in the questionable indoor environment. A building scientist who is sent to collect samples and log data for an IAQ […]
